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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104093">Reading Simpler Times</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaruHina103/pseuds/NaruHina103'>NaruHina103</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:16:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,695</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaruHina103/pseuds/NaruHina103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pinestar has the entire Thunderclan read Simpler times by Haroldosaur the day after Firepaw is apprenticed</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brambleclaw/Squirrelflight (Warriors), Firestar/Sandstorm (Warriors)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Pinestar needs to learn how to break news to Thunderclan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pinestar gives Thunderclan a book</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer:<br/>
Brambleclaw: What where am I--<br/>
Me: Hello!!!!<br/>
Brambleclaw: Ahhhhhh *jumps back* A twoleg who speaks Cat!!!! Get Away from me!!!<br/>
Me: *pouts* That is so rude!! Anyways say the Disclaimer Kitty!!<br/>
Brambleclaw: *glares and Starts Stalking towards me* Why you little--<br/>
Me: *covers Brambleclaw’s mouth* Shhh. that’s not something you should be saying especially in front of an apprentice.<br/>
Brambleclaw: *looks around* Squirrelpaw!!!! O.O What are you doing just sitting there.<br/>
Squirrelpaw: *Shrugs* NaruHina103 is not going to do anything. Just say the disclaimer you stupid furball!!!<br/>
Brambleclaw: No!!!!!<br/>
Squirrelpaw: NaruHina103 does not own the Simpler times or Us for that matter. She only owns the plot!!!!! Bye!!!<br/>
Brambleclaw: Wai---<br/>
Me: Let’s go!!!!<br/>
I officially apologize if the Characters seem a little OC this is my First Story.<br/>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>
Firepaw just got back for a tour of the territory. He was tired and hungry. Graypaw grabbed a mouse and went to the apprentice area with Firepaw following. After they shared a mouse they laid there until The moon started to rise.<br/>
“Well, that was delicious,” Graypaw Said while stretching. “We should probably turn in for the night.”<br/>
Firepaw got up and stretched. He turned around ready to go into the apprentice den when gasps of cats who were still out and about were heard all around. He whirled around to see a tall broad cat with scars on his muzzle who had a starry pelt.<br/>
“Who is that” Firepaw hissed. Graypaw shook his head showing that he did not know.<br/>
“Pinestar,” A voice greeted. It was Bluestar. Tigerclaw immediately glared at him.<br/>
“Pinestar!!!!!” Graypaw hissed in shock.<br/>
“Who is Pinestar,” Firepaw asked.<br/>
“A leader from when Bluestar was an apprentice/Warrior. Now Shush.” Graypaw hissed.<br/>
Firepaw immediately shut his mouth and looked at the Starclan cat. The cats who were awake stared wide-eyed at one of the former leader of Thunderclan.<br/>
“ Hello, everyone. I have come with a message from Starclan.” Pinestar said.<br/>
“What is the message, Pinestar?” Bluestar asked.<br/>
“Tomorrow, you will all read this book, it will appear when it is time. The entire clan needs to be there. And you all will not stop or attack anyone, Understand. Yes. No. Well to bad. Oh yeah it is about what will happen in a few moons time. Also, While you are reading it, time will stop.” Pinestar said and then disappeared.<br/>
Everyone just stared at the place with WTF looks on their faces. Bluestar sighed and ordered everyone to bed.<br/>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>
“Let all cats of the clan meet below the high rock for a clan meeting.” Bluestar’s voice rang through Firepaw’s ears, successfully waking him up.<br/>
Firepaw and the rest of the apprentices crawled their way out of the den. Almost the entire clan was there and the rest was coming. Firepaw padded out to sit next to Ravenpaw and Graypaw.<br/>
“Last night Pinestar came to the clan saying that we need to read this book.” She pawed the book that was next to her.<br/>
Murmurs broke out to the cat’s that were not there for the ordeal.
 Bluestar raised her tail for silence and said. “ Time has stopped so we have all the time in the world to read it. Also we are not allowed to attack anyone. We will each take a turn to read. When it is your turn you will come up onto the High Rock. Now let’s begin”<br/>
“Chapter one,” Bluestar read.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey  Everyone!!!!! This is my first ever book so all I ask of you is to not give me to much hate.  I will except any criticism for any mistakes I made. Don't Hesitate to tell me. I hope you all enjoy this book. Thank you Haroldosaur for letting me use your book!!!!!!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The one where they find out firepaw has a kit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They read the first chapter</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>…“Brambleclaw?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Brambleclaw... Who is that?” Dustpaw asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No clue. Maybe another Clan’s cat.” Sandpaw replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would we read about another Clan.” Whitestorm asked. Amber eyes confused. No one had an answer so Bluestar kept reading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>used. No one had an answer so Bluestar kept reading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you sure we wouldn’t destroy the Clan?” he growled.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Destroy the clan!!!!” Nearly everyone shouted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s continue reading,” Bluestar said. “Maybe we will find out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“W-what do you mean?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Of course we wouldn’t!” Squirrelpaw rounded on Brambleclaw in anger and confusion.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Not on purpose,” Brambleclaw meowed. “But it’s us, isn’t it – fire and tiger – who want to lead the Clan away from its home and on a long, dangerous journey when we don’t even know where we’re meant to be going?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fire and Tiger??? What does that mean??” Greypaw asked. Much to his Charinge no one had an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>As Squirrelpaw padded back to the makeshift camp at Sunningrocks,</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sunningrocks!!!! Then this must be Riverclan.’ Firepaw thought. He could see that everyone in the clan was thinking the same thing. Tigerclaw looked ready to go murder Riverclan for taking Sunning Rocks.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  <b>her mind and heart were heavy. She’d been so excited about the journey and the prophecy, about all of it, in the beginning. And even as she’d experienced loss and hardship, she had still held onto that hope. But now, in spite of her best efforts, she could now only think of Brambleclaw’s words. “Are you sure we wouldn’t destroy the Clan?” he has asked.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not Surprising, since that is quite worrisome.” Spottedleaf said. Others nodded in agreement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Her reflex had been denial, of course, because hadn’t they gone on their journey to save the Clans instead of destroy them? But then he’d explained his thoughts, and she’d found that she hadn’t actually had an answer to them. She knew how real the risks of journeys like theirs were – and Feathertail’s loss was something she doubted she’d ever forget. So who was to say that by leading the clans away from their ancestral home, they weren’t leading them to a similar fate?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What does it mean by leading The clans from the ancestral home?” Longtail looked really confused. Everyone probably felt the same. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Part of her knew that it was a ridiculous perspective to have. The Clans had to leave. The twolegs were destroying everything.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Twolegs are doing WHAT!!!!!!” Nearly all of the clan had screeched. It was silent. All the cats were looking at the book scared. Bluestar finally grew the courage and continued to read. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> But at the same time, she knew that there was no way to tell how the Clans would fare on the journey ahead. Maybe they wouldn’t find a new territory, and fall apart squabbling amongst themselves. Maybe they’d never make the journey – maybe hunger, or twolegs, or even hungry twolegs (twolegs didn’t eat cats, did they?)</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They don’t eat cats.” Firepaw told everyone. All of Thunderclan looked relieved and the ones who despised him for being a kittypet actually felt happy about who he is for once. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> would bring the clans to ruin before they would be able to find a new home.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>She didn’t know. And that scared her more than anything.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would scare any cat.” Sandpaw replied dryly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Dropping her thrush onto the meagre fresh-kill pile, she scanned the camp. Leafpaw was approaching Cinderpelt and Mousefur,</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MOUSEFUR!!!” Everyone shouted. “Then Thunderclan is living at Sunning Rocks.” Everyone started whispering wondering why they had to move to Sunning Rocks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Silence” Bluestar ordered. Once it was silent Bluestar continued. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> probably to talk about medicine cat… things. Brambleclaw almost looked like he was in a daze as he stepped away from the fresh-kill pile and began to wander from one side of Sunningrocks to the other. She stared after him, worried. His misgivings, the idea that they’d lead the Clan to ruin – had he been struggling with that the entire time? If not, then for how long? And how had she not seen it?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Brambleclaw had always been a worrywart. She knew that. Perhaps this was just how he went about life. If that was the case, she couldn’t stand it, and felt a wave of sympathy for him roll over her. Eventually, she turned back around and padded wearily to the closest thing to a den she could find, ignoring the voices of her clanmates as they talked more about the prophecy and their impending doom. She decidedly, suddenly, that she was tired of that. Deciding to lie down and try to get some sleep, she hoped that things would seem less complicated the next morning.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>…She should have been so lucky.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great. What is happening now,” Ravenpaw asked with wide fearful eyes. Nobody had any answer for the raven-furred cat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>When she came to her senses, she was not where she had been a moment ago. She’d awoken in a flat, grassy plain. Behind her was a forest, but in front of her was a field awash with moonlight. She took several cautious steps forward, looking around. She hadn’t seen this place before, and certainly had no idea how she’d gotten there from Sunningrocks. In her sleep.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She is dreaming,” Lionheart said. Others nodded in agreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Just as she was beginning to figure out what was happening, a figure emerged from what seemed like out of nowhere. A cat with a pelt so silver it seemed to almost glow – and her fur was dotted with tiny stars. Her eyes, blue as a cloudless sky, were wide with alarm as she bounded out of the grass.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Starclan!!!” Cats howled in shock. Many leaned forward in anticipation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Squirrelpaw!” She called. Squirrelpaw recognized the voice. It was impossible.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Feathertail?” She hissed in alarm. “You’re dead!”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well that was blunt,” Dustpaw said. Other clan members snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“I know.” Feathertail came to a halt in front of Squirrelpaw. “I- believe me, I know.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“How are you…” Squirrelpaw trailed off as she scanned her surroundings a final time. “…This is a dream, isn’t it? And you’re being sent by Starclan?” She remembered the first Starclan dream she’d had, when Spottedleaf had shown her where her sister was being held captive. She hadn’t expected to be visited again so soon.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Spottedleaf?” Firepaw asked. “Does that mean that she died. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Obviously,” Darkstripe spat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Yes.” Panted Feathertail. “Yes, it is, and I don’t have much time.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Instantly, Squirrelpaw was alert, a shudder of anticipation and fear running through her. “What is it?” She asked, craning over Feathertail’s shoulder as if she was going to see danger right behind her. Upon seeing this, Feathertail mrrowed in amusement before shaking her head as if to focus herself.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your dreaming,” Greypaw said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you are talking to a book.” Sandpaw replied. Greypaw blushed in the way of the cat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Listen, Squirrelpaw.” She mewed, suddenly. Her voice had a strength to it that it had never had in life, and Squirrelpaw found herself compelled to pay attention for once. “There are some phenomena that even Starclan cannot control, and cannot prevent. The twolegs in the forest, they’re one example, but something else is happening as we speak.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What????” Many cats called that out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we would find out if you stopped talking.” Tigerclaw said rudely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tigerclaw!!!” Bluestar Snapped. Tigerclaw just bowed his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“What?” Squirrelpaw forced herself to stay instead of darting back into the woods and trying to wake up. “Something else-?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Yes.” Feathertail nodded. “You ought to be safe, and you ought to return eventually, but there is nothing we can do to prevent it from happening.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Return eventually, is she being kidnapped?” It was asked by a cat Firepaw didn’t know. Greypaw saw and whispered “ Runningwind.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Prevent what?” Squirrelpaw begged. “I- Feathertail, you’re not making any sense!”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The she-cat’s face contorted into an expression of pity, and she hesitated before speaking again. As if what she wanted to say and what she was saying were two different things.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“All I can tell you is this: you cannot change the future.” She meowed. Her words rang, hitting Squirrelpaw’s ears like physical blows. “No matter what action you take, your future will remain as it is when you return.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“CHANGE THE FUTURE!!!!” Thunderclan stared at the book in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“What do you mean?” Squirrelpaw tried again. Instead of an answer, the wind around the two cats began to pick up, and Squirrelpaw felt herself be physically pushed backwards by the breeze. She gazed up at Feathertail a final time – the other cat was unaffected by the wind, and stood and watched Squirrelpaw struggle with a pained look on her face.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Feathertail!” She called a final time, before being pushed back into the undergrowth. Her vision of Feathertail was cut off, and from then, she saw and felt nothing more than darkness and the howling wind.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>She awoke with a start, panting heavily. It felt as though she’d been dropped back into her body for a great height, and there was a pain in her chest that forced her to stay where she was and pant instead of getting up and finding someone to talk to. Was that- that had been a dream. A Starclan dream. She wondered idly if Brambleclaw and the other cats of the prophecy had had dreams as stressful as hers had been. It certainly would explain a lot. And Feathertail- oh, Feathertail! Instead of giving her closure, seeing the silver cat of the tribe’s prophecy again had just reopened the wound. She bowed her head and stared at the stone beneath her paws as she tried to gather her thoughts.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is expected.” Whitestorm said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Feathertail… What were you trying to tell me?” She mused, before rising with a hiss. Her stomach growled in hunger. Blinking away sleep, she padded out of her den and jumped down to the base of Sunningrocks, not giving much thought to her actions. And it was then that she noticed something: there was no other cat there. Sunningrocks were deserted.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What why?” Greypaw asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, it said ‘Change the future’ right. Firepaw asked. He was met with nods of agreement. “What if she is in the past?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was silent, The rest of the clan was pondering what Firepaw asked. Bluestar decided to read.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>She began to look around. Cautiously at first, and then frantically, as panic began to overtake her. None of the clan was there – her father, her mother, Leafpaw, Brambleclaw, they had all seemingly disappeared into thin air. More than that, there was no sign that any cat had been there at all. The dens were empty, and the fresh-kill pile was gone. Squirrelpaw could only gaze in horror. What had happened? She didn’t know, but she felt very small. And very, very alone.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Panic seized her. Barely paying attention to what she was doing, or where her paws were taking her, she wheeled around and fled from Sunningrocks, paying no attention to the forest that looked as though it had miraculously restored itself from the damage inflicted upon it by the twolegs. Her instinct was taking her to the one place that, even now, she associated with safety.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The Thunderclan camp.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, maybe they went back to the camp.” Mousefur said. “It is more likely than what </span>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> suggested.” Mews of agreement were heard all around and Firepaw felt insulted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>This was their vigil – the night when a new warrior guarded the Clan and reflected on his new name and status. Until last night, Fireheart had been known by his apprentice name of Firepaw…</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you become a Warrior Firepaw, Congratulations.” Whitestorm told the apprentice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“T-T-T-Thank you” Firepaw stuttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Between the battle that he had fought in the previous day, and the night-long vigil he had sat through in the biting cold of air with no sun to warm it, Fireheart was so ridden with fatigue than it took moments longer than it normally would have to pick up on the sounds that were quickly drawing closer. Ears pricked, he straightened himself up, focusing on the rustling sounds indicating that something was heading directly for their camp.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice instinct,” Bluestar said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>He wondered for a moment if he was just being overly-suspicious – with only him and Greystripe,</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So I become a Warrior!!!” Greypaw exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> his best friend and Thunderclan’s other new warrior, on guard, he had been straining to detect anything out of the ordinary for most of the night. Perhaps he was being paranoid, and had simply heard a piece of prey straying too close to the camp. However, as the noises came closer, his suspicions were confirmed. Whatever was moving towards them, it sounded too big to be prey – it was probably a cat, even if it sounded as though there was only one.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Glancing at Greystripe, he saw that his friend was already alert as well, claws unsheathed and hackles raised as he stared at the camp entrance. Behind him, Fireheart could just make out the shapes of his clanmates in their dens. One or two were moving, but most were still asleep. He felt a rush of determined energy. “I will protect my clanmates”, he promised to himself before turning his attention back to whatever was coming from the forest.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oof, hope it is Squirrelpaw,” Ravenpaw squeaked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The leaves rustled a final time, and then bursting through the entrance to the camp came a small ginger she-cat, who stumbled to a halt as she entered the camp and stared around with wild green eyes. Not willing to waste a moment, Fireheart leapt through the air and onto the intruder, trying to pin her down – but whoever she was, she wry and strong despite her size, and Fireheart soon found himself kicked away as she fought back with an indignant shriek. As his back slammed against the ground, he heard Greystripe yowl in alarm,</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it is young one,” Halftail mewed to the apprentice. Firepaw nodded in agreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> and just had time to wonder if it was against the warrior code to call for help while on vigil before he was pinned to the ground by the snarling she-cat.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow, beaten by an apprentice, nice one.” Sandpaw said only to stop talking from a stern look from Whitestorm.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Back off!” She hissed, eyes burning with a fury that made him pause. “I don’t know who you think you are, sneaking around in… Thunderclan… territory…” she trailed off at the end of her sentence. Fireheart couldn’t understand why, but he wasn’t going to question his enemy losing their motivation mid-fight. He was about to throw her off when she choked out:</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Father?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Father!!!! So this is your kit Firepaw,” Greypaw exclaimed. Others nodded in agreement. Firepaw stared at the book.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chapter is done, Who wants to read next.” Bluestar said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I will,” Lionheart told her. Bluestar jumped down and Lionheart jumped onto the Highrock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Chapter Two</b>
  <span>.” Lionheart read.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for taking to long on  this I was super busy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Author Note</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>THIS IS NOT BEING ABANDONED</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I'M SORRY!!!!! I won't abandon the story but I just can't update this summer unless I get a laptop. I promise that I am not abandoning this story. I will start posting chapters if I were to get a laptop this summer or when I get back to school. I promise. I love you all and want to make you happy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Squirrelpaw meets the clan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter 2</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw stared at her father for several long seconds, drinking in the sight of him. It was definitely him – she would recognise him anywhere – but he looked different. Too different. He looked younger, with a face less weathered by time than the one she knew. As he overcame his own shock and began to writhe out from under her grasp, she noticed that he didn’t have the long scar on his flank that he’d had for as long as she could remember. Still confused and trying to understand what was happening, she didn’t try to stop him as he scrambled back to his feet and faced her with his back arched and claws unsheathed. The sight of him confirmed something else she’d suspected – he was smaller than normal, as well.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She is smart and observant.” One-eye said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“I- I don’t understand!” She gasped. “Why do you look so young? And have you shrunk-?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Intruder!” Another voice called. Turning her head, Squirrelpaw saw Greystripe, of all cats, stalking towards her and looking as though he was about to attack. Hadn’t he been taken by twolegs just the previous day?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Taken by twolegs!!!!!!” Many cats turned and stared at the grey apprentice in shock and fear at the thoughts of losing one of their own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Greystripe…!” The name fell from her mouth out of shock. Greystripe backed off in surprise, before leaning back forward with narrow eyes. He too looked different, she dimly realized, still a large cat but lacking the bulk she’d known him with.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“How do you know my name?” He meowed fiercely.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Before Squirrelpaw could reply, she noticed movement everywhere. As she watched, cats slid out of the dens scattered around camp and quickly scampered to support Greystripe and her father once they noticed her. A cat who looked like Mousefur and another she didn’t recognize at all ran behind her and blocked the entrance to the camp.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hope we don’t hurt her.” Mousefur said. Many nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>She, however, was barely focused on her immediate surroundings, and was instead trying to figure out what was happening. Her father didn’t recognize her, and looked different to how she’d ever known him. Greystripe was back, and he didn’t appear to recognize her either. Feathertail had said something about the future, and that she would probably return… Squirrelpaw remembered: she’d said something about how she couldn’t change the future.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really smart,” Longtail grunted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw was so busy piecing everything together in her head that it wasn’t until her jaw made painful contact with the ground did she register that she’d been tackled by some cat. She hissed up at them, only to stop when she recognised who it was: it was Dustpelt! </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dustpelt, so that is my warrior name!” Dustpaw said in awe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>But her mentor was looking at her with nothing but disdain, and as she twisted under him, he growled threateningly. Not wanting to risk getting half her fur clawed off, she stopped moving. This time, she didn’t bother to say his name.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel bad for her,” Goldenflower said. Other cats felt the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>What was happening? Why was no-one recognising her? An unexpected jolt of sadness washed over her – even now, when she was home, back in the actual camp, she wasn’t really home. A stranger in her own clan.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Dustpaw!”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Dust- paw? Looked up, and Squirrelpaw saw a familiar cat approaching her – a broad-shouldered tabby tom, with deep amber eyes. This time, she couldn’t stop herself.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tigerclaw.” Goldenflower purred.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Brambleclaw!” She gasped, because finally, someone she knew for sure, and he’d recognize her, surely, surely-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe my son,” Tigerclaw said. It was the only possibility. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The tom stopped and stared down at her in an expression that was so unlike Brambleclaw that Squirrelpaw almost couldn’t process it. Then, he scoffed at her. Like she was a piece of prey too small for his liking.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is kinda scary when he looks at you like that,” Ravenpaw said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“I think you have me mistaken for someone else.” His voice was a low rumble, and it by itself was enough to make her shudder. No. Whoever this was, this was not Brambleclaw, and that realization was enough to make her even more homesick.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone has a crush,” Speckletail teased. Many cats mrrowed at the thought and Tigerclaw was furious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Not-Brambleclaw rose and turned to Greystripe. “Good thing you sounded the alarm.” He grunted, before scowling in her father’s direction. “Why didn’t you?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Give him a break will you, he is new to the clan.” Greypaw spat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You do realize you are talking to a book right,” Firepaw said. Greypaw became embarrassed and bowed his head as most of the clan laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw couldn’t help but think that that was no way to treat a clan leader – but rather than defend himself, her father just shrunk in on himself a little. The sight was a surreal one, and she couldn’t help but gape at it. What was happening?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Clan Leader!!!!” Many turned and stared at the young apprentice who stared in wonder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“I- I thought we weren’t allowed to speak during our vigil.” He mewed. He sounded uncertain, and young. Nothing like the leader she knew him to be.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Come on, Fireheart.” Dustpelt, or Dustpaw, placed emphasis on the last half of her father’s name as though it was a dirty word, or something to be ashamed of. Everything, she mused to herself, was getting more and more confusing. “Didn’t you know,” Dustpelt continued, “that warriors on vigil are allowed to speak if they’re raising the alarm?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That will be the only time you can speak.” Bluestar told Firepaw. He nodded in acknowledgement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw had to stifle a small part of her that wanted to mock her father further – something told her that it would be an unwise decision to make when surrounded by cats that apparently didn’t know her. The good news was that, even with her head being pressed into the ground, she was still able to think about everything that had happened to her, and was working on piecing it together. Though it seemed unlikely, she had an idea. She had to have-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hopefully she will be able to explain.” Sandpaw said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Bluestar!” Another cat called. The crowd parted to reveal the cat that served, in Squirrelpaw’s mind, as the final piece of evidence to confirm her theory. This was the leader of ThunderClan that she had heard about, the one that had led the clan before her father.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Before her father???? Does that mean that Firepaw is the next leader??” Mousefur asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Tigerclaw was furious. He should be the next leader, not some kittypet. Thoughts of how to get rid of him started popping in his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> That meant that somehow, she had to have travelled into the past. It was the only explanation that made sense. Why her mentor still had his apprentice name, and why her father wasn't the leader. It also, she realised with a chill, meant that the cat who had looked like Brambleclaw was probably Tigerstar </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But doesn’t Firepaw become the leader?” Greypaw asked, confused. Many felt the same way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>– or rather, she thought as she spared him another glance, this would have been when he was still Tigerclaw, the supposedly loyal ThunderClan warrior.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Supposedly loyal. I am loyal,” Tigerclaw said with narrow eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>After much cajoling from her, her father had once spent several evenings explaining to her who Tigerstar was and what he had done. She’d paid rapt attention to the story at the time, drinking it all in, wide-eyed as she’d heard about the almost unspeakable evil that her father had named “Tigerstar”. Now, she pushed herself to remember those stories – but her attempts to remember were cut short by Bluestar stepping closer to her and staring down at her imperiously. She felt her mentor clamber off her, and she unsteadily rose to her feet to stare into the cold blue eyes of ThunderClan’s old leader.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Definitely brave,” Bluestar mrrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Who are you?” Bluestar asked with a voice as cold as the mountains, “And why have you come to our camp?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Fireheart stared at the she-cat as she faced down Bluestar. The she-cat who had called him “father”, of all things! He tried to settle his nerves, giving his paw a lick as he forced the fur on the back of his neck to lie back down flat. She obviously had him confused for some other cat – he’d never had kits before in his life! And even if he had, she was far too old to be his kit.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She is your kit from the future,” Greypaw said Dramatically. Many eye-rolled while the others laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b> He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and continued to sit back as he observed her interactions with Bluestar.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>First, she bowed her head in acquiescence, paying respect to Bluestar as a leader, but then she rose and stood as tall as she was able, which, admittedly, still left her smaller than most of the surrounding warriors. Her eyes flashed with defiance, but she remained controlled as she spoke:</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“You’re Bluestar?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Given how Bluestar’s ear twitched, Fireheart could tell she was surprised, but the ThunderClan leader gave no other sign of it as she continued to eye the newcomer.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“I am.” She confirmed.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The she-cat opened her mouth soundlessly at first, obviously trying to decide what to say, before mewing: “This is going to sound strange.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think.” Darkstripe said rudely but wilted under Firepaw’s Fierce death glare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No one will be rude to my kit’ Firepaw thought.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>The cats around Bluestar stiffened and muttered in suspicion, but Bluestar herself remained stoic as she kept her gaze firmly on the she-cat.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Go on.” She encouraged me.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Alright.” The she-cat seemed to look at every member of the clan – lingering on him, which made Fireheart uneasy – before turning back to Bluestar. “I think that I’ve been sent here from- from the future.” She revealed. “From forwards in time.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was blunt,” Runningwind said.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“That’s ridiculous.” Spat Dustpaw. The she-cat turned to face him as he scowled at her. “That’s impossible.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apparently not,” Halftail said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“No, it’s true!” The she-cat protested, ears flattening on her head as the surrounding cats glowered at her. “I…” She turned to Dustpaw. “You’re my mentor! You’re Dustpelt, and you’re my mentor, and you always got annoyed at me because I’d never listen to you. And-” She </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mentor!!!” Dustpaw exclaimed in horror. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Many cats laughed at the thought dustpaw running after the ginger she-cat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>turned away from Dustpaw, who was staring at her with a shocked expression on his face, and faced him. Her eyes were wide, pleading, desperate. “And you’re… my father.” She said, again, her gaze trailing downward from him to the floor as she trailed off.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Uneasiness rooted Fireheart’s paws to the ground. Around him, he heard the mutterings of other cats, and felt their gazes flit from Dustpaw to him and the she-cat. Greystripe had an odd expression on his face, like he couldn’t decide what to think, and Bluestar padded forwards, wearily looking at both the she-cat and Fireheart. To see if they looked like kin? He stared at the she-cat. Her fur was darker than his, but it was still ginger. And both of them had lithe, lean bodies. However, that was no solid evidence for them actually being related-</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone’s in denial.” Teased Graypaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“A kittypet’s kit?” Darkstripe sneered. Fireheart shot him an angry glance – the tom had never hesitated to openly deride Fireheart, and now he was padding forwards and speaking in a voice that conveyed both mockery and disgust. “You’re telling me he survived long enough to have a kit?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is rude. Firepaw may be a kittypet but he is still your clanmate.” Bluestar said. Darkstripe nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Before Fireheart could say anything, the she-cat turned and hissed at Darkstripe.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Two kits!” She meowed ferociously. “My sister and me both!”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice young one.” an elder said. Firepaw blushed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Is that what our clan comes to?” Darkstripe growled, lowering his head to stare the she-cat down. She didn’t flinch. In fact, she stepped forward herself. The air was suddenly brimming with hostility.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ She is brave. And how much you want to bet that she attacks Darkstripe.” Greypaw says chortaling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“You mangy crowfood-eater!” She snarled. “Insult my family again-”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Your family-” Darkstripe said the word as though it was a curse- “hardly belongs in the clan!”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Yowling, the she-cat leapt forward and tackled Darkstripe to the ground, clawing at him and sending his fur flying through the morning air. Immediately, Greystripe and Tigerclaw both lunged at her, knocking her to the ground – Tigerclaw held her down as Greystripe dragged Darkstripe to safety.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ha! Lost to an apprentice!” The apprentices chortled. Darkstripe hissed in disgust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“That’s enough!” Bluestar ordered. The she-cat stopped writhing under Tigerclaw, and Greystripe paused where he was. None of the other gathered cats had moved.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Tigerclaw.” Bluestar meowed firmly. “Let her go.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Bluestar-” Tigerclaw began, but Bluestar cut him off.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“If she attacks another of my warriors again, I will deal with her personally.” Bluestar promised a hard edge to her voice. “That being said, Darkstripe provoked her. Would you not defend your family if it was being criticized in the same way?”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Many cats nodded. They would have done the same thing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Tigerclaw looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead of saying it, glowered and stepped away from the she-cat. She stood up, fur ruffled, and continued to glare at Darkstripe like she hoped that her stare alone would rip him to shreds.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she does,” sandpaw snarked. Darkstripe glared at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“What is your name?” It wasn’t a question so much as it was an order. The she-cat offered Darkstripe a final glower before lowering her gaze, refusing to meet Bluestar’s eyes – looking for all the world like a kit that was about to be scolded by her parents.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Squirrelpaw.” She eventually muttered.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Squirrelpaw.” Repeated Bluestar. Fireheart let the word – the name – wash over him. If this cat really was his kin… he stopped his thoughts in their tracks. Why was he even considering the possibility? Bluestar, for her part, eyed Squirrelpaw for a moment longer, before abruptly turning her back on her and beginning to stalk away.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“Follow me to my den.” She ordered, flicking her tail over her shoulder. “We can discuss your story in greater detail there.” She tilted her head in Tigerclaw’s direction. “Come with me, Tigerclaw. Longtail – fetch Yellowfang. I want her present as well.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yellowfang!!!” Many warriors exclaimed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“No need to fetch me, Bluestar, I’m right here.” The ThunderClan medicine cat came forward. “I saw everything.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Still frowning, Tigerclaw nodded and padded after Bluestar. As she passed him, Bluestar turned to face Fireheart. Her face softened as she looked at him.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“If what this cat says is true…” Bluestar hesitated, then nodded in resolution, “you ought to join us as well.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Suddenly full of a nervous energy, Fireheart leapt up and had to hold himself back from bounding ahead of Bluestar, settling for trailing after her. He noticed, as their group began to walk up to the leader’s den, that Squirrelpaw was staring openly at him. He tried to not return her gaze. There was still so much that he was so confused about.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>To think, the previous day and night, his only worries had been ShadowClan, and becoming a warrior! Now the world seemed that much larger and that much less certain.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Darkstripe, Longtail, and Tigerclaw scoffed. What an idiot. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for sticking by me. As celebration for school I decided to post the next chapter. Hope you enjoy. Choose who should read next</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. what the fudge is going on</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They read the next chapter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter 3</b>
</p><p>“I will read,” Whitestorm said. </p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw followed Bluestar through the curtain of lichen that she, by now, only vaguely remembered. Between her journeying, and the fact that ThunderClan had relocated to Sunningrocks by the time she and Brambleclaw had returned, it was surreal to see the ThunderClan camp in full use again. Another pang of homesickness flew through her.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bluestar sat down in the nest at the back of the den. Her nest. It was surreal, for Squirrelpaw, to see a cat other than her father recline in it. Tigerstar- Tigerclaw, she reminded herself, sat to Bluestar’s side. </b>
</p><p>“I thought Firepaw was the next leader?” Lionheart asked. He received no answer as everyone was confused.</p><p>
  <b>After a moment’s hesitation, her father – Fireheart – laid himself down on Bluestar’s other side, a little further away than Tigerclaw. It was surreal, she mused dimly, to see her father so unsure of himself. For as long as she’d known him, he’d always been charismatic and confident in his decisions, even if he still thought them through. But this? This was borderline timidity. She couldn’t help but wonder if the elders had been exaggerating whenever they’d told her stories about her father’s younger years. It seemed unlikely that the submissive young warrior in front of her would ever go behind his leader’s back! Then again; she had said that he was her father. He was probably just getting over the surprise of that.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Finally, another cat settled on Fireheart's side. Though she had never met the cat, she had heard Bluestar mention a “Yellowfang”, and another cat that she’d heard stories about as a kit was ThunderClan’s old medicine cat, who had been loving and supportive to her father underneath a prickly layer of gruffness and scars. Part of her felt a thrill at the prospect of meeting cats who had played such a large part in her clan’s history, though there was also part of her that felt underwhelmed. Yellowfang was scraggly and scratched-up and decidedly unassuming, when she’d been expecting a cat who had been a bit more… impressive. Perhaps, she thought, her father had forgotten himself in the stories and exaggerated by mistake.</b>
</p><p>“Wow, way to be unestimated.” Graypaw snickered. </p><p>
  <b>“So, Squirrelpaw.” Bluestar meowed. Squirrelpaw decided that she liked the old leader’s voice: it was stern and soothing all at once, like a mother. The thought reminded her of her own mother, Sandstorm, and she realised that she hadn’t even seen the past version of her mother in camp. Would she have even been called “Sandstorm” during this point in time? Squirrelpaw didn’t know. It wasn’t like she’d been there herself.</b>
</p><p>“That has to be sandpaw,” Graypaw said snickering. Sandpaw turned her head in shock and anger to look at Firepaw. </p><p>
  <b>“Yes.” She dragged herself back to the reality of her situation before she could lose herself to her thoughts. Then, she added: “What do you want to know?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“You say you’re the daughter of one of my warriors, come to us from the future.” Bluestar summarised. It certainly sounded ridiculous out loud. “You will have to forgive my scepticism – I would like to believe you, but I don’t see how that can be possible.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“StarClan does work in ways we don’t quite understand.” Mewed Yellowfang. Her voice was deep, and raspy, like she had a stone stuck in her throat. “Just because we’ve never seen something before doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.” Her voice took on a more teasing tone as she continued. “Besides, if how she stood up to Darkstripe was any indication, she’s definitely as stubborn as her father!”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Not to mention,” Bluestar meowed with glimmering eyes, “as willing to prove herself to those who deride her as a kittypet as he was when he first joined the clan.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart looked embarrassed, and leant down to distractedly lick at his paws. Squirrelpaw felt pride at the comparison.</b>
</p><p>Firepaw blushed at the thought of having someone who is proud of him. </p><p>
  <b>“You make good points, Yellowfang.” Bluestar continued, acknowledging the older cat with a dip of her head.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tigerclaw stepped forward, looming over Squirrelpaw threateningly. Whilst part of her still couldn’t take the broad-shouldered tom seriously, looking at him and only seeing Brambleclaw, she was aware enough of his reputation as a warrior, and leant back as he eyed her in suspicion. Then, he sniffed.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“It’s a little different, but she does have a ThunderClan scent.” His voice was practically a growl, even though he showed no other signs of anger. Squirrelpaw was reminded of the noises that Sharptooth’s footsteps had made whenever he had attacked the tribe – the comparison did nothing to ease her nerves.</b>
</p><p>“Sharptooth, Tribe??” Mousefur asked to no answer. </p><p>
  <b>“If her fighting skill indicates, she’s also been trained as a warrior.” Yellowfang pointed out as Tigerclaw slunk back to his position beside Bluestar. “Somehow I doubt that any rogue would know how to fight as well as her.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“You can’t say for sure.” Tigerclaw growled. “We saw her fight for a few moments only. It's foolish to try and discern her skill from such a small glimpse.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“And you haven’t lived as long as me.” Yellowfang retorted, turning up her nose as Tigerclaw in disdain. Squirrelpaw saw a look of bemusement cross Bluestar’s face as the two began to talk across her.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> “When you’ve seen as many fights as I have, you learn to distinguish a lot very quickly.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Are you questioning my experience?” Was Tigerclaw’s response.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Not questioning it, no.” Yellowfang meowed. “I’m just saying that I have more.”</b>
</p><p>“Wow Tigerclaw is really mature,” Graypaw teased only to wilt under Tigerclaw’s glare. </p><p>
  <b>“Enough.” Bluestar mewed. Tigerclaw turned away with a surly expression; Yellowfang seemed almost pleased with herself.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw decided that she liked her.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Squirrelpaw,” Bluestar continued, “why have you come to us from the future? Were you sent by StarClan?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“No.” Squirrelpaw admitted, remembering her dream. “I… this wasn’t StarClan’s doing. I had a dream before I came back, where I was visited by a StarClan cat, but I… she told me that there were some things that were beyond StarClan’s control.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tigerclaw snorted. “Don’t tell me that cats getting flung back in time is some kind of natural occurrence?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“It seems very unlikely.” Agreed Bluestar, before turning back to Yellowfang. “Do you think it’s possible? For something like this to not just happen, but happen outside of the will of StarClan?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yellowfang grunted. “I don’t know.” She confessed, readily. “But we can’t rule anything out. I presume we’re all in agreement that her being Fireheart’s kit from the future is at least possible, even if we can’t say for sure?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bluestar fixed her penetrating gaze on Squirrelpaw again, before nodding. Tigerclaw made a noise in the back of his throat, but said nothing. Fireheart didn’t meet anybody’s eyes. Upon noting these reactions, Yellowfang rolled her eyes and struggled to her feet.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Well, that particular matter’s settled.” She remarked. “I don’t suppose you’ll need me for anything else, Bluestar? From the looks of it, I’m going to need to examine Darkstripe.” As she glanced over Squirrelpaw, her tone of voice seemed to get lighter. And also more conspiratorial. “Our little visitor certainly didn’t let him off unscathed.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bluestar remained solemn. “If StarClan are not involved, then yes, it is best you see Darkstripe.” She said. “Unless there is any more advice you want to share – I am open to it. This is a… an unfamiliar situation.” Squirrelpaw was impressed by her willingness to admit that she didn’t have all the answers. On her journey to the sun-drown place and back, she’d watched Brambleclaw mature into a leader, and found that she’d always appreciate it when he had been honest to the rest of them. It had made him feel more connected to the group – less like an ethereal, untouchable leader, and more like the cat in charge. On later reflection, her father had been much the same way – and she couldn’t help but wonder if he had picked up the trait from the leader that sat in front of her now.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Believe me, Bluestar, this is new territory for all of us.” Yellowfang rasped, pausing by the den’s entrance and turning back around to face the other cats. “Certainly, when I agreed to become your clan’s medicine cat, this isn’t what I was expecting!”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw stifled a mrrow of laughter.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Still.” Yellowfang shook herself briskly. “I don’t think I could have any better ideas than you on the matter. You treated me with respect when I was an enemy warrior – I don’t think you’ll do any less for a cat that has an actual connection to your clan, no matter how strange that connection may be.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Thank you, Yellowfang.” Bluestar purred. “That will be all.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Slipping through the overhang, Yellowfang disappeared without saying anything else, leaving Squirrelpaw with the other three cats.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>-</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The longer Fireheart stared at Squirrelpaw, the more he found himself struggling to deny the idea that she was his kit. The feeling of certainty had been small at first, springing to life when he’d first seen Squirrelpaw standing tall surrounded by ThunderClan warriors. But despite his resistance, his belief that it was impossible, that feeling had only grown since. He could not find a logical explanation that would truly satisfy him, though their pelts were a similar colour and their bodies were built the same and they had the same eyes. But there was a certainty in his stomach, in his gut, that there was something connecting the two of them.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Fireheart.” Bluestar’s voice cut through the silence. “What are your thoughts?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He looked up at Bluestar – then at Tigerclaw, who was eying him with curiosity, and then at Squirrelpaw, who was just staring at him unashamedly. Then again, she had said that he had looked different.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“I… I believe her.” He mewed. He wondered for half a second whether or not admitting it had been the best thing to do, but then Squirrelpaw began to purr, and his doubts were laid to rest.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bluestar nodded. “I think I do too.” She admitted, over Squirrelpaw’s purring. “And in any case, I have no reason to suspect that she’s a danger to any member of our clan.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Aside from Darkstripe.” Fireheart ventured, before he could properly think his words through. Bluestar exhaled.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Yes, aside from Darkstripe.” She mewed. “And on that, I expect you to make sure she doesn’t get into any more fights. I won’t have her attacking cats, no matter what the provocation may be.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Me?” Fireheart questioned. “Bluestar, are you sure?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bluestar nodded. “Not straight away, of course – you have just held your warrior vigil, and need to rest. If she is your kit, Fireheart…” his leader’s eyes glazed over, as though she was thinking of something else. Fireheart waited a moment for her to keep talking. “The time that you spend with your kits is always precious.” Bluestar eventually meowed. “Even if the circumstances are unorthodox. You should get to know your daughter.”</b>
</p><p>Firepaw and Sandpaw blushed as catcalls were sounded around the group. </p><p>
  <b>Fireheart felt a warmth in his belly at the sound of his leader’s compassionate words. “Of course, Bluestar.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>She nodded to him. “Go.” She said. “I will discuss the matter with Tigerclaw a little further.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The mention of Tigerclaw’s name was like a shock of cold water, waking him up, and with a start, Fireheart remembered that he had been planning to talk to Bluestar, and tell her his suspicions about Tigerclaw – how he suspected that the deputy had murdered Redtail, and had purposefully spread rumours about Ravenpaw to the rest of the clan. </b>
</p><p>"I did no such thing!!!!!" Tigerclaw growled. The rest of the clan silently decided to wait until they had actual proof. </p><p>
  <b>He forced himself to push the worries aside. He didn’t suspect that Tigerclaw had anything planned for that day specifically; and in any case, he was bound to be as taken by surprise as Squirrelpaw arrival as Fireheart himself was.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw headbutted his flank, and Fireheart almost toppled over where he sat. He turned to look at her incredulously.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Sorry, sorry.” She muttered, before brightening up again. “But come on! I want to see the camp!”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Won’t you already know what it looks like?” He asked as he clambered to his paws.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Maybe, but I’m sure a lot has changed between now and my time!” She pointed out, almost bouncing where she stood by the lichen entrance to the den.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“I need to rest after my vigil…” He pointed out, not untruthfully. As much as he wanted to do what Bluestar had said, and get to know his daughter better, he felt tired enough to sleep for a moon.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw’s shoulders slumped, and Fireheart immediately felt guilty.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Tell you what,” he mewed, “I can leave you with someone while I sleep, and then once I wake up we can get to know each other better.” He flicked her flank with his tail as he walked up to her. “Does that sound alright?”</b>
</p><p>“Smart idea young one,” One-eye said. </p><p>“T-Thank you,” Firepaw stammered.</p><p>
  <b>She purred again.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Sounds great.” She confirmed, before bounding out from the lichen and into the main camp. Fireheart, after dipping his head to Bluestar, followed her out. The sun was peeking over the horizon, commemorating the official end of his vigil, which filled him with relief. The idea of spending any longer watching over the camp in the dark and the cold was enough to fill him with revulsion, and he shuddered at the thought. As he stepped into the camp, the sun’s rays lit up his pelt, illuminating it bright orange and reminding him of the day when he’d been given his name as an apprentice; when Bluestar had named him “Firepaw '' in honour of that pelt. Looking by his side, he was surprised to see that a similar thing had happened to Squirrelpaw. Though not as bright as his, her fur as well seemed to have been lit up by the rays of the sun. As he looked at his kin who shared so much with him, after moons of feeling like a stranger and an outcast in the clan – because of his kittypet roots – he doubted that the warmth flowing through him was due to the sun alone.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“So,” Squirrelpaw’s voice was full of wonder, “this is what the ThunderClan camp used to look like.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart shot her a curious look. “It can’t have changed that much, can it?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw shrugged. “I can’t remember the details, but I remember hearing something about changes. And it’s definitely different than I remember.” There was something in her voice that sounded nostalgic, and Fireheart couldn’t help but wonder why his kit would feel such a way over the ThunderClan camp – surely she would still be living in it?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>As they padded towards the warriors’ den, they were met by Whitestorm, who was gazing at the two of them with amusement apparent in his golden eyes.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“It looks as though you finally have kin in the clans, young Fireheart.” He meowed. From another cat, the words may have been mockery, but Whitestorm’s voice was genuine and Fireheart dipped his head to the elder warrior in both deference and acknowledgement.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Though we aren’t sure how it happened, we think that Squirrelpaw is who she says she is.” Fireheart meowed. “My kit from the future.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Remarkable.” Whitestorm’s voice was a murmur. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.” He peered at Squirrelpaw, who responded to his curiosity by leaning forward and almost hitting his nose with her own. He pulled away, blinking.</b>
</p><p>Many of the cats laughed at her curiosity. </p><p>
  <b>“Squirrelpaw!” Fireheart admonished before he could think about it. Whitestorm laughed.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“It’s good to see that you’re already stepping up as a father figure.” He remarked.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart felt his fur burn in embarrassment, but upon noticing that Whitestorm didn’t mean it in a bad way – and that Squirrelpaw seemed to have no problem with it – he forced himself to relax. He had heard the queens of the clan mention something about “parental instincts” once or twice – perhaps it was just those.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Whitestorm shook himself. “I’ll leave you to your rest.” He said. “I should see what work needs to be done around the camp.” Without another word, he bounded away and began to talk to some of the other warriors.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>It was at that point that Fireheart noticed the stares that almost every cat in the camp seemed to be directing at Squirrelpaw. He couldn’t say he blamed them – word had to be spreading about her and the fact that she was his kin, and even if it were not the case, a new cat in the camp would be enough to get any cat staring.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Unfortunately, the first cat to come sauntering up to the pair before Fireheart could enter the warriors’ den was Longtail, whose wore a smug expression (marred only by the torn ear Fireheart had given him what felt like so many moons ago) as he approached the two cats.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“So, Fireheart has kin from the future?” He meowed, before hissing in laughter. “A likely story.” He turned to address Squirrelpaw directly – who, Fireheart noticed, was staring at Longtail in undisguised surprise. “How did this kittypet convince you to pretend-”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Longtail!” Squirrelpaw interrupted with a gasp. “You can see?”</b>
</p><p>“Excuse me!!!!!” Longtail exclaimed, offended. The rest of the camp fell silent urging Whitestorm to read. </p><p>
  <b>“What?” exclaimed Fireheart. This hadn’t been the reaction he had been expecting at all, and it had clearly stunned Longtail as well – he’d stopped talking, and looked like he wasn’t sure whether to claw Squirrelpaw or flee in the opposite direction from her.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“What do you mean, I can see?” He demanded. “Can I- can I not see, where you’re from?” He had obviously forgotten his accusations of the story being a lie. Squirrelpaw’s ears flattened on the top of her head, and she ducked away from Longtail.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Oops, sorry.” She mewed timidly. “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Seizing his chance, Fireheart ducked into the warriors’ den and beckoned Squirrelpaw in after him with a flick of his tail. She followed after a moment’s awkward hesitation. Fireheart waited in anticipation, but Longtail didn’t follow them. Probably too surprised at what Squirrelpaw had said.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Can he actually not see in your time?” He asked, hesitantly. After a moment’s hesitation, she shook her head.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“He’s blind.” She confirmed in a low voice.</b>
</p><p>The cats just stared attentively at Whitestorm and the book. </p><p>
  <b>Fireheart wasn’t sure how to feel. On the one hand, there was no love lost between him and Longtail, and their relationship hadn’t much improved from when he’d first arrived in the camp – when the two had fought, and Longtail had ripped Fireheart’s collar off, and Fireheart had torn Longtail’s ear. But at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the warrior. To be blinded was a fate that Fireheart wouldn’t wish on any cat.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He found himself yawning, suddenly, and remembered in a flash why they had gone to the warrior’s den in the first place.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Fireheart?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Glancing around, he caught sight of his clanmate Sandpaw glaring up at him from where she was lying on a bed of moss.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Sandpaw?” He asked. Sandpaw rose with a grumble.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“What are you doing here?” She meowed. There was a dark edge to her voice. “This is the apprentice’s den. You’re a warrior now.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart flinched at her harshness. It was evident that Sandpaw was envious of his and Greystripe’s status as warriors, and considering that she had been an apprentice longer than either of them, he couldn’t say that he blamed her. Then, he realised what he had done. Tired and not thinking, he had waltzed right into the apprentices’ den instead of the warriors’ den by mistake.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Ah-! Sorry, Sandpaw.” He muttered, backing towards the entrance. “I didn’t think.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Clearly.” Sandpaw scoffed.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw stepped forward with wide eyes. “Sandpaw?” She gasped.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart spared her a curious look. “Do you know her?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Squirrelpaw didn’t react for a moment – and then nodded. “Yes.” She mewed. “You… you could say that.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Can…” Fireheart trailed off. The fatigue from his vigil had begun to hit him in full force. “Can I leave you with her?” He’d seen Sandpaw be nice, but she’d always been prickly to him, and the idea of her treating any kit of his with respect seemed unlikely. But surprisingly enough, Squirrelpaw nodded.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Sure!” She said, sounding enthusiastic. “That sounds fantastic!”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Hold on.” Sandpaw said, padding towards Fireheart and Squirrelpaw warily. “Who is this cat, and why is she in our camp?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fireheart found himself momentarily lost for words. It would do no good, he reasoned, to admit the truth to Sandpaw outright – she would never accept it. Unfortunately, Squirrelpaw seemed to have no such qualms.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“I’m Fireheart’s daughter, sent back in time from the future!” She was thrilled, sounding delighted to share the news. Sandpaw reared back in shock before her face contorted into a sneer.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Some cat was actually mouse-brained enough to have kits with him?” She taunted. Her voice wobbled, however, and Fireheart suspected that the taunt was more to return her to her comfort zone than to insult him, even if it did still sting. Rather than leap to her father’s defence, however, Squirrelpaw seemed to take it in her stride.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Some cat certainly was.” She meowed in satisfaction. Sandpaw peered past Squirrelpaw to scowl at Fireheart.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“You want to leave her with me?” She asked, ignoring the other apprentice. “What, do you think that you get to tell me what to do just because you’re a warrior now?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“No, it’s because I spent the whole of last night sitting vigil and need to sleep.” Fireheart snapped, fatigue leaving him short-tempered. “And the day before that I was busy driving out ShadowClan’s leader.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b> Realising that getting angry with Sandpaw would do him no favours, he forced himself to calm down before he spoke next. “Please, Sandpaw. I haven’t asked you for anything before and I’ll do my best to never ask you for anything again.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sandpaw remained silent for several moments.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Fine.” She eventually hissed. “But only until you wake up.”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Thank you.” Fireheart gasped in relief. “Just until I wake up.” He turned to Squirrelpaw. “Squirrelpaw, I- um- behave for Sandpaw. Okay?”</b>
</p><p>
  <b>“Okay, father, I will.” She said in a light voice. Behind her, Sandpaw winced. Fireheart couldn’t blame her – hearing himself referred to as “father” was strange to him as well. But, he mused as he finally squeezed out of the apprentices’ den and headed to the warriors’ den where he was now supposed to sleep, he could worry about all of it later.</b>
</p><p>“That is the end of the chapter” Whitestorm said. </p><p>“Why don’t we take a small break,” Lionheart suggested. The rest of the clan agreed. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the long wait here is Chapter 5.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Break time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter 6</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Firepaw, Ravenpaw, and Graypaw sat away from everyone else. They were excited and confused about what was going to happen, why was Tigerclaw referred to a leader if Firepaw was the next leader of the clan? There were too many unanswered questions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sandpaw sat alone in shock due to the fact that she had kits with a kittypet. She wondered why she ended up with him and how it happened. Dustpaw was sitting close by looking upset a little due to him having a tiny crush on Sandpaw. He felt jealous. Why would she fall in love with someone who doesn’t belong in the clan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tigerclaw was plotting ways to get rid of Lionheart, Bluestar and Firepaw. HE will be the next leader of Thunderclan no one will stop him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the clan was sitting around chatting and guessing what they were reading. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>------ After the Break------</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shall read,” Longtail offered. He jumped on the High Rock when no one objected. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>“Chapter Four,” Longtail began. </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again thank you for reading my story. hope you enjoy</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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